ὅρκος: Difference between revisions

|etymtx=Grammatical information: m.<br />Meaning: [[oath]] (Il.), [[object to swear by]], orig. of the water of the Styx (Β 755, Hes., h. Cer. 259).<br />Compounds: Compp., e.g. <b class="b3">ὁρκ-ωμότης</b> m. [[who takes an oath]] (Arc., Locr. inscr. VI--Va) with <b class="b3">ὁρκωμοτ-έω</b> [[to take an oath]] (trag. a.o.), compound of <b class="b3">ὅρκον ὀμόσαι</b> with <b class="b3">τη-</b>suffix; <b class="b3">εὔ-ορκος</b> <b class="b2">swearing rightly, faithful to one's oath</b> (Hes.) with <b class="b3">εὑορκ-έω</b>, <b class="b3">ἔν-ορκος</b> [[bound by oath]] (Att.) with <b class="b3">ἐνορκ-ίζομαι</b> [[to bind by oath]]; but [[ἔξορκος]] [[sworn]] (Pi.) backformation from <b class="b3">ἐξ-ορκόω</b>, <b class="b3">-ορκίζω</b>; on <b class="b3">ἐπί-ορκος</b> s. v.; <b class="b3">πεντορκ-ία</b> f. "taking of five oaths", [[oath by five gods]] (Locr. Va), with <b class="b3">ία-</b>suffix.<br />Derivatives: 1. [[ὅρκια]] pl., rarely <b class="b3">-ιον</b> n. <b class="b2">objects to swear by, oath pledge, animals sacrificed for an oath, oath, solemn treaty</b> (Il.), [[ὅρκιος]] <b class="b2">belonging to an oath, sworn by</b> (Att., Leg. Gort.). 2. [[ὁρκικός]] [[belonging to an oath]] (Stoic.). 3. [[ὁρκόω]], <b class="b3">-ῶσαι</b>, often w. <b class="b3">ἐξ-</b>, <b class="b2">to make one swear, to put under oath</b> (IA.) with [[ὁρκώματα]] pl. [[oath]] (A.), [[ὁρκωτής]] m. <b class="b2">who makes swear, who puts one under oath</b> (Att.; cf. Fraenkel Nom. ag. 1, 199 f.), <b class="b3">ἐξόρκω-σις</b> f. [[swearing]], [[adjuration]] (Hdt., J.). 4. [[ὁρκίζω]], <b class="b3">-ίσαι</b>, Dor. fut. [[ὁρκιξεω]] (Delph.), also w. <b class="b3">δι-</b>, <b class="b3">ἐξ-</b>, <b class="b2">to make one swear, to adjure, to administer an oath</b> (Ion., X., D., hell., also Dor., s. Fraenkel Denom. 86 a. 147) with [[ὁρκίσματα]] pl. [[adjurations]] (Megara I--IIp), (<b class="b3">δι-</b>, <b class="b3">ἐξ-)-ὁρκισμός</b> m. [[swearing]], [[adjuration]] (LXX, Plb.), <b class="b3">ἐξορκισ-τής</b> m. [[exorcist]] (Act Ap.). 5. [[ὁρκίλλομαι]] [[to swear in vain]] (Phot.), as if from dimin.-pejor. <b class="b3">*ὁρκίλος</b>. 6. <b class="b3">-ορκέω</b> only in derivv. from compp. with analogical formations: <b class="b3">εὑορκ-έω</b> (with <b class="b3">εὑορκ-ία</b>) from <b class="b3">εὔ-ορκος</b>(s. above), <b class="b3">ψευδορκ-έω</b> from <b class="b3">ψεύδ-ορκος</b> (Risch IF 59, 258), with <b class="b3">ἐμπεδ-</b>, <b class="b3">ἀληθ-</b>, <b class="b3">δυσ-</b>, <b class="b3">παρ-ορκέω</b> a.o.; on <b class="b3">ἐπι-ορκέω</b> s. v. -- On itself stands, with quite diff. meaning [[ὁρκάνη]] f. [[enclosure]] (A., E.) beside late [[ἑρκάνη]] as [[Όργάνη]] beside [[Ἐργάνη]] (s. on [[ὄργανον]] and [[ἔργον]]); cf. also <b class="b3">Ο῝ρκατος</b> PN (Calymna IIa), s. Fraenkel Nom. ag. 1, 147.<br />Origin: XX [etym. unknown]<br />Etymology: Formally [[ὅρκος]] seems to be connected with [[ἕρκος]] [[fence]] (thus already Eust. a. EM); it would be then prop. so much as "bound(s), which one assumes" (Solmsen KZ 32, 275), "limitation, tie, obligation"; such a meaning is indeed found in <b class="b3">ὅρκοι δεσμοὶ σφραγῖδος</b> H. [or read <b class="b3">*σφραγῖδες</b>?] ; cf. also [[ὁρκάνη]]. A convincing argumentation however must still be found. Several attempts by Schroeder (in WP. 2, 528) : [[ὅρκος]] prop. "fastening" beside [[ἕρκος]] "obstruction"; by Luther "Wahrheit" und "Lüge" 90ff. (s. also Weltansicht und Geistesleben 86 ff.): [[ὅρκος]] prop. a magical power, that pales in the swearer (<b class="b3">*ἕρκει</b>); by Bollack REGr. 71, 1ff. : [[ὅρκος]] orig. = [[Στύξ]], taken as worldembracing fence (<b class="b3">μέγας ὅρκος</b>); s. also Hiersche ibd. 35 ff. -- New etymology by Leumann Hom. Wörter 91 f.: [[ὅρκος]] = Lat. <b class="b2">*sorcus</b> or <b class="b2">*surcus</b> in [[surculus]] [[twig]] (diff. on [[surculus]] [:[[surus]] [[twig]]] e.g. W.-Hofmann s.v.); so prop. <b class="b2">the staff, which is raised when swearing</b>; [[ὄμνυμι]] [[swear]] prop. *'grasp'; <b class="b3">ὅρκον ὀμόσαι</b> [[grasp the staff]] (<b class="b3">θεοὺς ὀμόσαι</b> imitation). Criticism by Luther, Bollack a. Hiersche l.c.; cf. also Benveniste Vocab. institutions 2, 165ff. cf. alo the lit. on [[ὄμνυμι]]. Further s. [[ἕρκος]].